Taichi Takashita wrote on his Web petition, which has thus far gathered hundreds of signatures, that he is "no longer interested in three dimensions," The Sun reported Thursday.

"I would even like to become a resident of the two-dimensional world," he wrote. "However, that seems impossible with present-day technology. Therefore, at the very least, would it be possible to legally authorize marriage with a two-dimensional character?"

Takashita did not list any contact details on his Web site and it is not known how serious he is about the petition, but many who have signed it have expressed strong feelings of concurrence with its message.

"For a long time I have only been able to fall in love with two-dimensional people and currently I have someone I really love," one person wrote. "Even if she is fictional, it is still loving someone. I would like to have legal approval for this system at any cost."